Bellisimo Davide!

IN SEARCH OF DAVID
By Tracewillow

Ciao Folks!
Dear oh dear!   You guys definitely need salvaging from what’s left of you.   You need to be saved and diverted from those harmful palpitations before you succumb to the fatalities of a David-Snippets-Attack – which, tut tut..does nothing really but leaves you with a heart half-satisfied and a desire unfulfilled.

So let me give you some distractions of the more earthly kind to last you for a week or two before the bombshell of the Album explodes in our midst. Devitalised now of energy and kaput of moolah in my failed search-mission of David, and after a few words of encouragement from our dear Uncle John, I am posting some pics and a couple of sob-stories.

“O David, David, wherefore art thou, David?”
I’ve looked for him everywhere I could.   Swear.   But he is nowhere in sight.

From soaking in the breathlessly beautiful landscapes of the Tuscan rolling hills – to frolicking amongst the ruins and ancient towns and villages of Arezzo, Talla, Siena, Pienza, Cortina etc. From trudging up the hilly forests of La Verna which lead up to the 12th Century monastery of San Francesco (St. Francis) – to searching through the amazing Renaissance artworks and treasures of Siena and Firenze – From munching my way through the yummy mountain village cafes – to waking every morning to the haunting chimes of church bells – There is so much to savour and explore, it will take a lifetime to cover.

All that done – and David is still nowhere in sight. My half-past six theory has proven to be one of whimsical fantasy and capricious eccentricity. David is truly NOT in Tuscany.

“You looking for David?” asks an Italian passerby in his heavily-accented English, and clad in a black robe with an enormous wooden cross across his chest, looking every inch an Elder…I mean…a Padre.
“Try Firenze” (Florence) he says.
OK.
So I plod to Firenze, the cradle of Renaissance.
Great.
Not only did I find David.   I found 4 David’s – each looking more naked than the last.

The 1st one is at the Plazza Vecchio. Then I found David again high up at the Piazzale Michelangelo overlooking all the rooftops of Firenze. There is also a punkish David cheekily painted with bright pink skin and blonde hair outside the Medici’s Uffizi, where there were rows of sculptures of ancient Roman emperors – which particularly interested me because I can now put a face to these men (and women) with extreme power and often outrageous evil and madness as told to us in the study of Roman history.

Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia

But the true glory of Michelangelo’s divine creation of David, sculpted by the Great Master’s own fair hands, stands majestically high above our heads, in the middle of Tribuna of the Accademia.   So magnificent a sight it was, and so touched was I by its beauty of sculpture that I forgot our David for 8 whole minutes!

Some of you may consider this historical David a “poor” substitute to our David.  🙂 But the hard truth is, both art critics and the world regard him as the embodiment of perfection in male beauty. (One must not mind the nudity – it’s all part of the art form)

However.   Yeah you are right…I’m with you there…this guy can’t sing.   What a pooh-pooh.   🙂
(Btw just want to sneak in this confession – I listened to the Snippets too – and am totally, irrevocably slayed!   Uncle John must be made of steel   🙂   )

Some of the pics that I took while on my epic search for David 🙂

The remote villa of Striano, tucked in the middle of Mediterranean vegetation of cypresses, pines and poplars, near the ancient village of Talla where we tayed for 2 weeks swimming, sort-of trekking, cooking humongous Italian meals and gorging ourselves sick.

A typical meal we cooked in Striano

Typical Tuscan countryside seen from a high point in the old town of Cortona. Told ya – can’t see David anywhere.

A beautiful thermal spring at Bagno Vignoni which feeds its water to a rocky mountain stream where we bathed and smudged ourselves with limestone clay. Great fun. David would of course never be seen bathing in public – I am such an idiot for trying to find him here.

Siena, a truly beautiful historical town in various shades of terracotta, drawing throngs of tourists. He is not here either.

Duomo in Firenze – jaw-droppingly awe-inspiring cathedral just across the street where we stayed. The constant chiming of churchbells makes one feel a closeness to heavenly music and godliness.

The renowned bridge of Ponte Vecchio across the River Arno in Firenze, housing solely jewellery shops which, in olden times, were butcheries and markets.

There were gelato shops everywhere one looks. An averge of 4-6 scoops of gelato was consumed daily by most in our group of whackos – yummily creamy and rich and delicious.

No sightings of David but Nigella Lawson was sighted by us on a street in Firenze where she was doing a shoot/vid/whatever for a brand of gelato. Some in the group got excited but of course I was Totally Unmoved and Totally Devoted to searching for our David.

I know now I really should have planted my search mission in Chile….oh well…one can’t always win…will try to think more intelligently next trip…